Gov. Kathy Hochul brought some encouraging numbers Tuesday
morning to NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx during her COVID-19
briefing.
According to state data, there are currently 7,119 cases of
the virus in the state, down 92% from the Omicron peak three weeks ago. The
daily positivity rate has dropped dramatically to 5.92%. She also said that
hospitalizations are down 43%.
She also said that the state would make a $10 billion
investment into the health care industry – the largest in New York history.
More than $4 billion of that money is going toward bonuses and wages for health
care workers.
She’s aiming to grow the health care workforce by 20% over
the next five years.
"I want people to know that we are taking this very
seriously,” said Hochul. “And we have to make sure that we understand that
everyone deserves access to quality health care. That is a basic human right
that we're putting an exclamation point on, and we must prepare for what the
future throws at us."
As for the state’s indoor and school mask mandate that was
upheld during appeals on Monday – the governor didn’t have anything to
announce. She says any decision to either lift or extend the mandate would come
after conversations with hospitals and school leaders.
The governor also announced that a “long COVID” symposium
with a panel of medical experts would be held on the state’s website on
Wednesday. You can register for that
here.
While at the Bronx hospital, Hochul thanked the
military medical personnel that was deployed to help relieve hospital workers
who have been working nonstop during the pandemic.